hello i have got an Acer Aspire 5536 laptop and my 1 year old grandson pulled the letter p nearly off,i saw some where that you should be able to just push down on it,but i have done that with no luck,any ideas please?
thank you.

2 Answers
2

Different keyboards have different construction methods and some are more amenable to having their key caps removed and replaced. On some, it is just a matter of snapping the cap back into the brackets underneath. Does the key cap still "wiggle" around like it's loose? Try pushing down on it while moving it around sideways and it may re-attach.

If not, try examining the underside of the key cap and the part of the board it is supposed to attach to, you may be able to see how they are supposed to mate together. A photograph for us might help too.

Finally, if it's a total loss, you should be able to take the key cap completely off and just press what is underneath it. The key cap itself is just a plastic form with a letter on it, it is possible to type without it. Hopefully we can fix it though.

Most laptop keyboards have a similar key mechanism, that is: the visible key is just a thin shell held on by a pair of 'X' braces. Each end of the 'X' has a tiny plastic nib on each foot at each end that goes into the top 'letter' shell and a small metal lip on the keyboard base. Between the 'letter' and the keyboard base, is a silicon flexible nib that toggles the key on/off. The 'X' brace pair nicely fold into a flat surface that is easier to understand when you take it apart and see it in motion.

Sometimes, if a key experiences what you describe, either the bottom metal tabs were pushed a bit so one end of the 'x' isn't seated properly, or maybe the silicon nib is pushed out of alignment (or even missing?).

Best way to fix this is to be able to see under the letter, by removing the top letter by very slightly flexing it from the top side (top meaning closet to the lcd) until it unsnaps from the 'X's. Then inspect the metal tabs, 'X's and silicon nib. Once you verify that (or why its not working), you can then easily see how to snap the letter cover back on.

You can google replacing laptop keys. Several sites sell replacement keys and have good tutorials on replacement. Search generically, not for this specific model.